Top 10 Daniel Craig Performances

Starting off our list is a relatively minor role for Daniel Craig, from the 2007 movie adaptation of Philip Pullman's best-selling fantasy novel. Portraying the distant yet determined Lord Asriel, Craig stood out as a key character that questioned the faith in the all-governing religious power of the Magisterium. His screen time may have been short, but he's got an important connection to the lead, which ensured that he left an impact on moviegoers and critics alike.

A small town of cattle wranglers taking on beings from outer space: it sounds like a silly premise, doesn't it? Luckily, this sci-fi western has the star power of Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford to breathe life into the comic concept. As an amnesiac outlaw with an alien weapon strapped to his wrist, Craig showed that he was not only still proficient with an American accent, but could easily slide into the role of the John Wayne archetype.

When making a film about the aftermath of the Munich Massacre, you know you are going to need a stellar cast to do justice to the telling of such a chilling historical event. Even as part of an ensemble cast, Craig managed to stand out as Steve, a South African driver-turned-assassin whose vocal desire for vengeance in the name of the Jewish people was a sight to behold. As far as political thrillers go, “Munich” is certainly one of the most poignant, and Craig had a hand in making that happen.

Craig's second outing with Steven Spielberg landed him as the antagonist of this beautifully crafted motion capture epic. As the descendent of a legendary pirate Red Rackham (whom he also plays), Craig gets to let loose as the man with a taste for wealthy collections and a penchant for attempted murder. Playing the nemesis to the king of motion capture, Andy Serkis' Captain Haddock, Craig lends his voice and frame to a maniacal yet oh-so-entertaining villain.

Before he was making the ladies swoon as 007, Daniel Craig was having wild, rampant sex with a woman nearly twice his age. Despite what you might be thinking, there's nothing funny or romantic about his character or his actions. As Darren, Craig plays a handyman who, despite having a family of his own, has no problem fulfilling the frustrated desires of May, a middle-aged grandmother spiralling into depression. This may be one of Craig's coldest and most emotionally destructive characters yet.

Standing out from many of the more stale historical period pieces, “Defiance” tells the story of a group of brothers who became unsung heroes of the Jewish people, as they fought against persecution in Nazi-Occupied Belarus. As the eldest of the Bielski brothers, Craig portrayed a survivalist forced to become a soldier with the lives of hundreds under his protection. A character filled with anger and sorrow over his losses, yet living for the sake of others, Craig deftly brings out the human aspect of this historic hero.

In a film centered on the relationships between fathers and sons, there's bound to be a few bad apples lurking about. Enter Daniel Craig with his portrayal of the emotionally unbalanced and reckless Connor Rooney, the son of an Irish mob boss who, over the course of the film, kills the family of a mob enforcer, played by Tom Hanks, out of jealousy for the relationship that Michael Sullivan Sr. has with his father. While despicable to the core, Craig manages to encompass both the villainous and the vulnerable sides of a son who becomes consumed by his own lack of self-worth.

Making an adaptation of Steig Larsson's acclaimed novel was always going to be quite the endeavor; luckily Craig was up to the task of portraying Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who goes to any lengths to expose corruption in the government in this Swedish-American mystery thriller. As an individual who isn't afraid of putting himself at risk, Craig had to bring forward both the hunger and drive of Blomkvist's character on the big screen. Of course, the highlight of his performance comes from the relationship with the sizzling and tortured Lisbeth Salander.

If Bond ever went bad and wanted to make a name for himself in the world of criminals, we're pretty sure he would come out something like this. A kingpin in the cocaine business, XXXX is a man who has everything and is used to being on top. That is, until a series of violent events make him realise that he's just part of the layer cake, and shit happens to everyone, EXCEPT those at the top. Both a bastard and a gentleman, Craig ensures that this is one drug lord you'll be rooting for.

Before Daniel Craig dazzles us with his top performance, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Joe
“Enduring Love” (2004)
- Rudy Mackenzie
“The Jacket” (2005)
- Perry Smith
“Infamous” (2006)
- Alex West
“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (2001)

The iconic superspy has had many an actor wear his tuxedo, and when the torch was passed to Daniel Craig in the new millennium, he managed to make the character all his own. In “Casino Royale,” he showed an earlier version of Bond that was only just getting used to his license to kill, and the consequences that came with it. In “Quantum of Solace,” he played a man consumed by vengeance and coming to terms with loss, while in “Skyfall,” he portrayed a broken man who has to rebuild himself while facing the shadows of his past. And each time, Craig pulled it off perfectly.

Do you agree with our list? Which Daniel Craig performance do you think is the best? For entertaining top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.